Though the title is misleading, The Xenophobe's Guide to the Italians has little to do with Xenophobia. It is one of the books in a humorous British nonfiction series introducing the reader to different countries and different cultures, which, according to the publisher, are almost guaranteed to cure xenophobia.

There are a great many good reads in the series including, among others, the ones on Japan, France, the United States, and even one on Britain. The aim of these books is to make the reader familiar with the peculiarities of certain countries, describing the good and bad habits of each nation, and, though often exaggerating these, always giving a positive picture of the nations concerned.